Harry Potter & the End of the War
by Hexenweib
Summary: Harry's search for the Horcruxes. What happens to him and his friends throughout seventh year? And when will they finally reach the End of the War? This is my idea, how book 7 should be... AU since DH is published
1. Unexpected

**Disclaimer**

All persons and places belong to J.K. Rowling, I only own the plot. This is non-commercial.

The story starts near the end of „Harry Potter and the Half-Blood-Prince", it is set then to allow some minor changes.

Contains spoilers to all books (including HBP) and (eventually) the following pairings: HP-DM, HG-SB, RW-LL, RL-NT, GW-NL.

There will be slash/yaoi (male-male pairing), so please don't read it, if this offends you.

This is my first fanfic. I'm not sure, how to rate it, so I make it an M, just to be secure.

Please excuse all mistakes, I'm sure, I make, because English is my second language.

AND: Please review!

**_THE END OF THE WAR_**

**1 Unexpected**

Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, sat silent and solitary near the white marble tomb of his headmaster and mentor Albus Dumbledore, who was killed a few days ago and buried earlier that same day. Though being famous, a celebrity, the black-haired wizard with emerald eyes and the tell-tale scar, shaped as a lightning bolt, was just a lonely boy, deep in thought, at that moment. He pondered with fate, which again and again took the ones he dearly loved away from him and even worse let him watch these horrible events.

And he did not only watch them once, when they actually happened. No, he was never able to get these dreadful pictures out of his mind. He relived all those painful moments again and again.

First there were his parents, who were killed by Lord Voldemort, the worst dark wizard of the century, when Harry was only one year old. He had never known the way his parents died until in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the dementors made him relive his worst memories. And since that time he could hear his parents die, trying to protect Harry from the dark Lord. And protect him they did.

'Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!'

'Stand aside, you silly girl … stand aside, now …'

'Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –' (1)

Harry laughed bitterly as he remembered his mother's last words. With her own sacrifice Lily Potter had left her son protected against the killing curse Voldemort had thrown on him. The protection of his mother let the curse backfire and the dark wizard was nearly killed. Never before had anyone ever survived the "Avada Kedavra" curse. And then, in the night of Halloween 1981 there were all of a sudden two wizards, who lived after it. That the Dark Lord had survived was unknown to most of the wizarding community, though, because Voldemort was stripped from his body and nearly everyone had believed him dead and gone. And therefore Harry was famous and called the Boy-Who-Lived, the saviour of the wizarding world (and the muggle world as well).

"Boy-Who-Lived, hah, Boy-Who-Lived-to-see-Everyone-Die, more likely" Harry murmured, "I can't stand this crap any longer, damned." With this the boy sighed and fell silent again.

But as Lord Voldemort, or Tom Marvolo Riddle, which was his real name ('Tom after his father, Marvolo after his Grandfather'), had strived for being immortal, he had taken many precautions to bodily death. He had parts of his soul transformed into Horcruxes, which prevented, that the last part, which was still left in his body, could die. These Horcruxes worked as tag lines and held the soul part back in this world and averted it from going to the netherworld, even if it left the body. And so he, too, lived after the attempt to murder Harry. Barely though, but still alive he spent years in hiding in Albania, waiting for his followers, known as Death Eaters to find him and restore him to his body. And long he had to wait. More than twelve years of peace for the wizarding world before one day Wormtail also known as Peter Pettigrew searched and found him and helped him to return to his body another year later.

Harry had witnessed this himself as well as another murder of someone he liked, Cedric Diggory, who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Pettigrew killed him on Voldemort's order ('Kill the spare!' (2) still echoed through Harry's mind) and Harry felt immensely guilty because he blamed himself that Cedric was there in the first place. His late mentor Albus Dumbledore was one of only very few people to believe Harry, when he told that Voldemort was back. Most people chose to deny the possibility and preferred to believe, that Harry was only an attention seeking boy, who made the whole story up.

Another year later though, the truth could no longer be denied, when the Minister of Magic himself saw Lord Voldemort. This again was one of the worst days in Harry's short life. The day he lost the only parent figure he had ever known, Sirius Black, his godfather, his father's best friend; Sirius, who had been twelve years in Azkaban, the wizard prison, although he was innocent. He had had no opportunity to prove his innocence, because Peter Pettigrew, who was an unregistered Animagus, had betrayed Harry's parents and Sirius, then turned into his Animagus form (a rat) and vanished. Sirius was found at the crime scene and sent to prison without a trial.

He broke out of Azkaban twelve years later to protect his godson from Pettigrew. This was the reason, why Wormtail at last flew to seek Voldemort. Sirius had to live in hiding, which was so very difficult for him, as he was a man of action. And so it came as no surprise that he did not hesitate to come to Harry's rescue that one day in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, where Harry and his friends were fighting against some Death Eaters, who wanted to get hold of a prophecy about Harry and Lord Voldemort. Sirius was duelling his own cousin Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Voldemort's most loyal followers, when he was thrown through The Veil by a curse. And again Harry had lost someone he really cared for.

'Come on, you can do better than that!' (3) He could still hear Sirius yelling before he got hit squarely on the chest by a jet of red light out of Bellatrix' wand. And then Harry saw his godfather disappear through the Veil before his inner eye.

And now, only one year later the old and wise headmaster, who had always been like a grandfather to Harry, was also dead. Dumbledore, 'The Only One He Ever Feared' (4) was dead, murdered by no-one else but Severus Snape, the Half-Blood Prince, as he named himself. Killed by the double agent, whom Dumbledore had believed to be trustworthy. Snape the former Death Eater (former, haha), now a spy for the light.

"How very wrong and fatal of the old man to give this person a second chance", Harry thought. "And leave me here, barely prepared to do what I have to do. Damned prophecy!" He could not help but recall the whole wretched thing in his mind:

'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives … the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …' (5)

So, Harry was the Chosen-One. He had to kill Voldemort or die trying. And he still had not a clue, how to do it. First he had to find the remaining Horcruxes.

"The Horcruxes, these gruesome things… How could a person be so vile? So, murdering a human causes one's soul to rip into pieces. That is bad enough," Harry thought, "but putting parts of one's own soul into containers afterwards is so abhorrent", he was unable to understand, that even Tom Riddle had gone to these length. "Unbelievably direful."

Thinking of the Horcruxes… That was the first task at hand now for Harry. Dumbledore had spent all of the recent year to supply him with all information available about Horcruxes and Tom Riddle's past. Harry had been able to watch scenes of Riddle's childhood and time at school as well as a few later events from out of Dumbledore's memory in a Pensive. This way they had figured out, some of the Horcruxes Voldemort had made. Bad enough though Voldemort had felt the urge to have his soul split in seven parts. Anyone else before, who had tried to gain immortality by the means of a Horcrux, had only put half his soul into it and kept at least half of it for himself. Voldemort in contrast to them was even more evil. He had only one seventh of his soul left and put six seventh in six different containers.

Luckily the Boy-Who-Lived had already destroyed Tom's diary in the chamber of secrets four years ago. And the deceased headmaster had managed to delete the ring, which had belonged to Riddle's dead mother. Those left four more Horcruxes for Harry to find and destroy. One was supposed to be Nagini, the dark Lord's giant pet snake. This one would have to wait. Harry believed, he needed to kill the snake immediately before fighting Voldemort himself. That was, because the snake was always near her master and also no-one knew, whether Riddle would notice, when the last Horcrux was destroyed. It seemed though, that he had not noticed by now, that he was already two short.

One other item, which was likely to be a Horcrux, was the locket, which had once belonged to Salazar Slytherin, one of the famous founders of Hogwarts. The locket Harry and his mentor had thought they had found in the cave, the day Dumbledore had died. The one, R.A.B., this wretched person, had taken and now no-one knew of its whereabouts. Then there was the cup Helga Hufflepuff, another of Hogwarts founders, had once owned. These two were the first for Harry to find and destroy.

And then there had to be one more. They had presumed, Riddle would have tried to get hold of another object, which had belonged to one of Hogwarts' founders in former times. Dumbledore had believed to be the only owner of such an item left. He had the sword of Godric Gryffindor in his office. But he had also been sure, that Tom Riddle never had the opportunity to gain access to it with intent to turn it into one of his Horcruxes. Harry was not as sure as his mentor was. There was the possibility, that he had done this while Prof. Dippet had still been headmaster of Hogwarts. There also was the eventuality that another object of Gryffindor's former property existed. Or an artefact of Rowenna Ravenclaw, the fourth founder, could have outlasted the centuries, who would know?

And what about the sorting hat? Had Dumbledore forgotten about it? Harry reckoned, the hat had once mentioned, that it had belonged to Godric Gryffindor as well as the sword. Be it as it may, Tom Riddle had had a very strong connection to Hogwarts. For him it was the first place, he ever called home, as it was for Harry, too. Strange as it was, both orphans felt this connection to their school. And this was the only clue the Boy-Who-Lived had to the last Horcrux. He was sure it must have a connection to Hogwarts.

But for now, it would make more sense, to try and figure out, who R.A.B. could be or more likely had been. Harry pulled the message R.A.B. had left with the fake locket out of his pocket and re-read it:

'To the Dark Lord

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B.' (6)

Harry hoped that R.A.B. had indeed destroyed the real Horcrux, but he feared this had never happened. R.A.B. knew, he had had to die and that could mean he had never found the time to actually destroy the Slytherin-locket. When Voldemort wanted someone dead, he was no-one to hesitate long before in fact killing them. Only Dumbledore had lasted that long, but that was because Riddle had secretly feared the old and wise wizard. So he had at last sent another person to murder the headmaster.

The black-haired boy was shaken with grieve, thinking of Dumbledore's death. Silent tears came into his sad green eyes, before slowly starting to roll down his cheeks. Harry felt lost. He suffered from his losses as well as from the burden, put onto his shoulders. And above all he had to break up with Ginny to protect her and not present Voldemort another weak point. He was just a sixteen-year-old teenager and at this moment it was too much to bear for him, having to rid the world of Riddle after solving the riddle of the Horcruxes. He did not feel like a saviour. No, not at all.

Tears kept streaming from his emerald eyes and he did not know, for how long he had been sitting near Dumbledore's white tomb, when he suddenly heard a 'Pop', which was the typical sound of an apparition. As it was not possible to apparate on Hogwarts' grounds, the person must have landed just outside the gates. Harry grabbed his wand and hid behind the stone bench, he had been sitting on. He had stopped crying at once and was now watching the way from the gates to the main entrance.

And there he saw it, a body floating in mid-air, the body of a woman, a blond woman. "Strange" he thought, "how can she apparate, when she is unconscious? And who is she? Why is she floating?" Soon he saw the lower body parts of another person appear behind that woman's body and suddenly Harry understood. The person was levitating the unconscious form. That was not a very threatening sight and so Harry stuffed his wand back into the pocket of his robe and ran towards the two people to try and help them.

When he was less than five yards away from the floating blond witch, he suddenly saw, who the person levitating her was. And he understood at once, why she had looked vaguely familiar to him. He stood rooted to the spot and was too shocked by the sight in front of him to do anything but stare. It was as if he was petrified. How could he dare to come to Hogwarts?

Harry was pulled out of his stupor, when Draco Malfoy addressed him:

"Potter? Could you please help me? Potter? Harry? Please?"

"Malfoy? What are you doing here? And have you just begged me for help?"

"Please, Harry, I cannot hold her much longer, I really need your help. She needs to be brought to Madam Pomfrey. I'll explain later. Please?"

Harry saw, that the blond boy was bleeding himself and slightly tumbling with the effort of levitating his mother. So he acted as was needed and cast a levitating charm on Narcissa himself, so that Malfoy could release her and save the last bit of strength he had left to stagger beside them into the castle.

They reached the infirmary without interception, which was lucky for both the injured Malfoys because of their bad state. The medi-witch was shocked, when she saw Narcissa Black-Malfoy float into her infirmary, even more so, when Draco Malfoy collapsed just behind the door. She levitated both onto beds and began to medicate them, muttering to herself. Then she asked Harry, what had happened to them and why they were at Hogwarts. He couldn't answer her and told her, how he had met them. She asked him to fetch the headmistress and Harry, seeing that he would not get any explanations from Malfoy soon, went to retrieve Prof. McGonagall from her office.

The new headmistress was evidently equally shocked by what the Boy-Who-Lived told her. Harry remembered when he had last seen Malfoy and reminded Prof. McGonagall, that Malfoy had not wanted to murder Prof. Dumbledore. He had hesitated; he had clearly been black-mailed and was neither willing nor able to kill the headmaster. McGonagall thought the matter over and said: "Potter, do you believe it is possible, that they have been punished by You-know-who, because Malfoy didn't murder Albus?"

"That would fit to the black-mailing and they both look like they have been tortured and severely hurt."

"Well, we will have to wait for them to wake up to get an explanation. Potter would you please ask Prof. Slughorn to bring a vial of Veritaserum to the infirmary. We need to know the true story, once they are awake and well again."

"I'll do that." And so he went down to the dungeons and then accompanied Prof. Slughorn back, who brought the Veritaserum to the infirmary.

As both Malfoys were still unconscious, the headmistress sent Harry to bed and he headed to Gryffindor Tower, where he found, that everyone was already asleep.

**Quotes:**

(1) JKR PoA, p. 134

(2) JKR GoF, p. 533

(3) JKR OotP, p.710

(4) JKR OotP, p.712

(5) JKR OotP, p.741

(6) JKR HBP, p. 569


	2. Leaving Hogwarts

So, this is the second chapter, I hope, you like it.

Please, let me know and review.

ooooooo

**2 Leaving Hogwarts**

"What do you mean: I can't go in and see them?" Harry Potter asked the medi-witch irritated. "It was me, who found them. Malfoy owes me some explanations." He had come to the infirmary first thing after waking up this morning. He had tiptoed out of his dorm in order to not awake his class mates. And now he needed to know, what all that with Malfoy was about.

"Potter, I know that", Madam Pomfrey answered, "but I still can't let you in. Orders from the headmistress. Besides they are still asleep."

With that she turned and slipped through the door to the infirmary. Harry stood and thought for a moment, then turned on his heels and walked straight to the office, that no longer belonged to Prof. Dumbledore. When he arrived at the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance, the Boy-who-lived swore under his breath: "Damned, I don't know her password. It surely is no longer easy to guess…" Professor Dumbledore had always had a liking for sweets and so there was always a fat chance to guess the right kind of sweets and gain access.

He pondered, if he should go back to his dormitory and start packing his trunk or wait for Prof. McGonagall to arrive at or leave her office. Going back to Gryffindor Tower was not a very good option, because he didn't want to have to tell Ron and Hermione what bothered him. At least not until he had some answers from Malfoy. So he opted to wait for the headmistress.

He sat down on the stone floor and was just thinking that he would miss breakfast completely, if she would not turn up soon. It was nearly time for the post owls to arrive. Just as he thought that, one of the school owls came swooping down the corridor and landed in front of Harry.

"Shouldn't you be in the Great Hall right now? Delivering that letter? What are you doing here?" he asked the owl curiously. The owl hooted for an answer and pecked him in his arm and held out her leg. "Oh, the letter is for me? Thank you very much!" He untied the letter from the owl's leg, un-scrolled it and read:

"Potter,

Please come to my office.

The password is 'Quidditch Cup'.

Minerva McGonagall"

"I could have guessed that one…" he thought, smiling at the stern professor's obsession with winning the Quidditch Cup. He stood up and gave the password to the gargoyles. They sprang to life so he could step onto the moving spiral staircase. His knocking on the office door was not answered and so Harry hesitated, if he was nevertheless allowed to enter. He decided soon, that he was invited in by her letter and as it had no time given he should be allowed in.

Knocking once again he opened the door and looked in. "Professor?" "Ah, Harry, come in, dear boy!" He must have imagined that. He could most definitely not have heard Prof. Dumbledore's voice! That was just **not** possible!

Harry shook his head and entered the office still wondering, what he had heard. He started looking around once again and when he saw the portrait of his mentor realisation dawned. As with all wizard portraits the person in it was able to move and more important talk! Harry saw Prof. Dumbledore twinkle and called out, "Professor!" "Good day to you, too!" the old wizard with the long silver beard and half-moon spectacles answered out of his brand new portrait right beside the one of Prof. Dippet.

After Harry had abandoned his initial amazement he was soon engrossed in the conversation with his mentor. He had so much to ask Prof. Dumbledore, so many burning issues to discuss… But Prof. Dumbledore being himself nonetheless stayed as mysterious as he always had been. Being a portrait did not change that much.

Anyhow, he cajoled Harry into returning to Hogwarts after the holidays. They both shared the opinion that Hogwarts had to be re-opened. "And, Harry, don't forget, you need to use the library here", Dumbledore insisted, "I believe, you won't be able to find the Horcruxes without it. The library at Grimmauld Place is huge and will be useful to research in during the holidays, but the Hogwarts library is unrivalled. I will ask Prof. McGonagall to give you unlimited access to the restricted section."

Harry considered that but still thought, he should put more time in the research and not in school issues. His mentor understood, what was going on in Harry, anyway, he begged Harry to take into consideration, that he would need the assistance of Hermione, Ron and Remus Lupin to find and especially destroy the Horcruxes. "And, Harry, will you really take the responsibility for your friends' leaving school? You know how important school is for Hermione. And have you thought of Molly Weasley's reaction? Can you really do this to her?"

"They don't have to accompany me, or do they?" Harry asked defensively.

"You're right, they don't have to, but you know as well as I do, that they will. Don't play dump, Harry." the portrait countered, "I would suggest, you three all return to Hogwarts after the summer and you get release from classes and permission to leave whenever it is necessary for your task, how about that?"

The Boy-who-lived promised to think about his arguments and also to discuss the matter with Ron and Hermione. Prof. Dumbledore smiled at him, satisfied with that. He asked Harry to take the Pensive, which still held the memories concerning the Horcruxes they both had watched together. Dumbledore wanted Harry to share them with his friends and also to make sure, they did not fall into the wrong hands.

Harry agreed to that. It was mandatory, that they kept the Horcruxes secret. If Voldemort came to know, that they were destroying them, there would be no hindrance for him to create more of them to guarantee his immortality. The-Chosen-One had a chance to ridden the world of this evil, only if he never knew, his Horcruxes were all destroyed.

After talking to the headmaster for a long time, Harry was still itching to ask one special question, but didn't know how to. How could he ask the portrait of his late mentor, why and how his trusting the wrong person led to his own murder? What had let the wise old wizard to trust the double agent Snape? Which proof had he had? Harry still struggled, how to word this matter, when Dumbledore said: "Harry, today I will not answer this question, you want to ask. I'm sorry, there will be a time for it, but it is not today." Harry knew the old man had again managed to be omniscient and didn't bother to ask, how he did that. Still he needed to know, "But…" "I promise to give you the answer, when the time for it has come", the professor interrupted him. "I promise!"

Just then Prof. McGonagall entered her office and smiled seeing Harry talk to Prof. Dumbledore.

"Oh, Potter, good, you're here."

"Good Morning, Professor! I got your letter."

"Fine, I asked you to come here, because Prof. Dumbledore and I think it is best, if you take care of Fawkes. He has never really liked me. And seeing your history together..."

"Really? Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes, my boy, yes. See, I can no longer look after him and Minerva and Fawkes never got along too well. And Fawkes has taken a liking to you at that time in the Chamber of Secrets. It seems to be the best solution."

Harry thanked both of them and approached Fawkes, who tilted his head in recognition. Harry held out his arm and the beautiful red and gold Phoenix hopped gracefully onto it. Harry took the Pensive in his other hand, said his good-byes and went to the door.

He had nearly left the room, when he suddenly remembered why he came here initially.

"Ah, Professor McGonagall, I wanted to know what Malfoy is up to?" he asked, turning back.

"We don't know yet." was her answer, "they are both severely injured and Poppy, erm, Madam Pomfrey, I mean, put them into dreamless sleep. We had no chance to question them by now."

"But…"

"Potter, you can't do anything at the moment. Believe me; I want to know what happened, just as much as you do. And I must ask you, not to tell anyone about them. It might be vitally important."

Seeing that he would not get to know anything new about the matter at hand, Harry nodded and turned to leave once again.

Just outside the headmistress' office Harry met Hermione. "Harry, there you are. You missed breakfast, where have you been? Have you been to Prof. McGonagall? I'm headed there, too. Why are you carrying Prof. Dumbledore's Phoenix on your shoulder?"

"Wow Hermione, slow down, that were three questions at once. See, I'll tell you later, as I assume you don't want to be late for your appointment."

"Ok, bye, Harry!"

"Bye, Mione!"

Harry arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room without further intermittences. As not many students knew the beautiful Phoenix, the questioning began there anew. Harry decided to ignore his peers and headed straight to his dormitory, where he found Ron packing his trunk.

"Oi, Harry, you're back. What happened?

"Ron, a lot happened, I talked to Prof. Dumbledore's portrait and I will tell you the whole story when Hermione is back. Else I would have to tell it all twice. What do you think about going to the kitchen in the meantime? I missed breakfast and I suppose it will be a while before Mione is back."

Ron being Ron did not hesitate to get an extra meal, although he just had had breakfast, and agreed at once.

So they left Fawkes in their room and headed to the kitchen, where the house elves where delighted to serve them a lot of food. Harry and Ron sat and ate at one of the large tables, when Dobby accompanied them. Harry asked the small elf to sit down with them and Dobby did that. The Gryffindor could tell, that something was bothering the house elf, so he decided to ask, what it was.

It showed, that Dobby was afraid, that the new headmistress would not tolerate Winky and himself as free house elves at Hogwarts, he feared, they would possibly no longer be accepted. Harry did all he could to assure Dobby, that there was no need to fear that. He told the small elf, to just talk to Prof. McGonagall. And even if she would not accept them being free elves, they could always come to Harry's house in London. Dobby did still not believe, that the headmistress would let them both stay, but was calmed down by having the option to come to Harry, if necessary.

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione was already waiting for them. The three of them went up to the sixth-year-boys-dormitory to talk in private. As Seamus, Dean and Neville had already finished packing; they were alone in there and put locking and silencing charms on the door, before Harry started telling them about his conversation with Dumbledore's portrait. Hermione nodded at some parts of his story and in the end said, that she was told the same things. The Boy-Who-Lived thought it strange, that the two of them had been called there for the same reason but separately. And so he was curious, if his friend had really told him all, she came to know up there.

On the other hand, he himself was not telling everything. So he thought it better not to ask, but stay alert and see, if he could find out, what she was concealing.

Harry felt better after the conversation with his friends. As all three had to pack their trunks, Hermione left and Harry and Ron worked in silence. Harry was once again deep in thought: "What had happened to Malfoy? Who had done that to them? And why? Had he really been civil? And said please? Would they awake before he had to leave with the rest of the students the next morning?"

As he had done the previous morning Harry went to the infirmary very early. And again he was sent away by the medi-witch. "Potter, you can't see them. They are still sleeping and will not awake soon. They need to heal. You can't do anything. Just leave", Madam Pomfrey shooed him away. So he had started his way back to Gryffindor Tower but decided to go to the Room of Requirement first to get Snape's potions book back. After all he was a real potions genius and one never knew, where such knowledge could be useful. He hid the book in his robe and went to meet his friends and accompany them to their last breakfast at Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron and Hermione found a compartment for themselves at the Hogwarts Express, where Neville, Ginny and Luna soon found and joined them. These six had been the only members of the DA, who had fought against the Death Eaters a few days ago. Now they shared a quiet and uneventful train ride to King's Cross.

As they arrived there, they were surprised about the number of order members who had come to fetch them from there. There were five Weasleys (Bill was still not too well), Remus and Tonks, as Harry had expected. But in addition Mad-Eye Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt had come with Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnston, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, who had all accompanied the order during the last year (thanks to the twins!). Kingsley told them, that they would go to Grimmauld Place by Side-Long-Apparition as this was the safest measure of transport. Harry was very thankful for not having to walk through the station with an owl and a phoenix… But he hated the thought of going back to Sirius' house, even though he knew, he had to start researching in the huge library of the grim, old place.


	3. The Locket

Hi,

here's the third chapter. I'm a bit disappointed, that no-one reviewed my story. Isn't there anyone out there reading this?

For the disclaimer please look into the first chapter.

Now on with the story!

ooooooooo

**3 The Locket**

There had been an order meeting at Grimmauld Place the evening after their arrival and the next morning Harry was sitting in front of the living room fire place with Remus, Ron and Hermione. Remus told them about the meeting while they were relaxing in comfortable arm chairs. Kingsley Shacklebolt was made the new order leader, which seemed to be a good choice, as he was a very capable auror and strong wizard. He was well-known and eminently respectable. And last but not least he was on the light side with no doubt.

There had been some members, who felt that Grimmauld Place 12 was no longer safe as headquarters after Snape's betrayal. The nature of the fidelius charm however was that after the death of the secret keeper the secret could not be revealed. The grim old place was better hidden than before.

During the following days Harry enjoyed spending time with Remus despite all the hurtful memories of his godfather, the place held. The last of the Marauders (as Wormtail could no longer be called one because of his betrayal) told Harry many stories and tales of his parents during and after school. The werewolf, being the last living Person, who knew Godric's Hollow not being a ruin, offered Harry to accompany him thereto, as the Boy-Who-Lived had no memory of it himself.

One afternoon the Golden Trio and Remus wanted to watch Dumbledore's memories in the Pensive, when Ginny joined them. She was still denying to be left out. They all dived into the swirling mist within the basin and watched the few hints they had to the Horcruxes. After that Harry let his friends watch his own memories of his conversations with his mentor as well as the painful reminiscence of their attempt to retrieve the locket. The attempt, which brought death for the headmaster. The Boy-Who-Lived did not have the strength to watch this particular retrospection with them, as it was much too fresh and painful for him to re-live.

As they surfaced out of the white mist, that was his memory, Harry was surprised to see, that one of the four watchers was not as sad as the other three but very excited. "Did he really smile? How could Remus be smiling at Dumbledore's death? How could he?" Harry thought and was just about to start yelling at him, when the Marauder asked: "Do you know, who R.A.B. is? Have you started thinking about this? Do you have an idea?"

As fast as the anger had started to rise within Harry as fast it vanished again. "Could it be possible, that Remus would know the mysterious person, who had or possibly had destroyed one of Voldemort's Horcruxes?" he thought.

"Remus, don't tell me, you know who R.A.B. is! Spill! Don't tantalise us! Do you know him or her? Who is this person?" he asked. Ron, Hermione and Ginny were electrified as well. Remus became serious (no, not Sirius…) again and answered, "I'm not sure, if I know the one R.A.B., who took the locket, but I have an idea. You see, it must have been a Death Eater, who took it. They call him the "Dark Lord" and only they could have known about the locket and Horcruxes at all."

"Right!" Harry said, "Almost the first thing Voldemort asked his Death Eaters two years ago on the graveyard after his re-birth was '… how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death?' (1)

I did not know, what it meant then, but now it makes complete sense… But… I don't know any Death Eater with the initials R.A.B.."

"That would be, because you have never heard the middle name of this particular one. And it is complete coincidence that I happen to know it. I understand this message that way, that R.A.B. is a renegade Death Eater. That would mean, his treachery must have cost him his life, as Voldemort is not likely to allow anyone to leave his entourage."

Hermione's eyes lit up at these words, she seemed to understand: "Remus, you don't mean…?" "Exactly!" the werewolf answered before she could finish her question. Ron started looking from her to Harry and Ginny and asked "Does someone care to enlighten me?" as he saw realisation dawn in both their faces as well.

Remus grinned and answered, "Regulus Alphard Black. I only happen to know his middle name, because Sirius once mentioned, that he had inherited everything from his uncle Alphard, except for the name, which his not very lovely brother got. And we know that Regulus was a Death Eater and that he tried to leave them. I never knew that there was more to it, than him only becoming afraid. But being Sirius' friend could not lead to a very impartial opinion towards Regulus. Perhaps he was not only stupid and a coward, maybe he actually changed to the better. But he paid with his life for it…"

"That seems to be absolutely logical. Why didn't it occur to me?" Harry murmured, while Hermione was one step ahead again: "Given that Regulus is R.A.B., what do you think, where could he have left the locket? Did he manage to destroy it? Did Voldemort withdraw it from him?" While they pondered about her questions, Ginny suddenly said: "Harry, I need to see that memory again, where Tom visits the old Lady." "Why would you want to do so?" Harry asked. "Please, Harry, I'll explain afterwards." And with that she dived into the Pensive.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed emerging from the mist. "I just knew!"

"WHAT?"

"He did not destroy it and Voldemort did not retrieve it."

"How do you know?" the strain was showing in Harry's voice.

"I have once seen exactly such a locket. But…"

"But…? What? Spill!"

"Do you remember, two years ago, we cleaned this place with Sirius and my Mom? We found a locket, which looked exactly the same. It had this snake shaped letter S on top. We tried to open it, but it would not let us. And then … we disposed it…" Ginny informed them and recognition dawned in everyone. They had managed to identify one of the Horcruxes. It had been directly under their noses and then it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. A frustrating thought.

During their stay at Grimmauld Place Hermione spent a lot of time in the library, no-one had expected anything else from her. But Harry received the impression she was again hiding something from him. She seemed to look for more than clues to the Horcruxes, when he surprised her in there. Though she had had a private talk with Remus and she seemed to have told him what she was searching in there. The others joined her in there sometimes searching for any hint to bring them closer to the Horcruxes.

One particular afternoon during their research Dobby appeared out of thin air. The little house-elf was all excited and wanted to tell Harry his wonderful news. The Golden-Trio were startled about the sudden appearance first but soon welcomed Dobby, who told them about his dialogue with Prof. McGonagall and that she of course would pay him the same as Prof. Dumbledore had done before. He was so happy, that he couldn't wait to tell Harry. Harry congratulated him and the little elf disappeared with a pop. But this episode had the effect that the Boy-Who-Lived remembered, that he himself owned a house-elf. Kreacher!

"How could I have forgotten about this creature? He always tried to save items of the Black heirloom", Harry thought and called the horrible house-elf he had inherited from Sirius. And Kreacher appeared at once. Ron and Hermione mused, what Harry's intentions for calling the creature could be, as he profoundly detested it because of its involvement in the plot that led to Sirius' death. But their speculations were solved immediately, when Harry started questioning Kreacher.

"Kreacher, I command you to answer my questions truthfully."

"Kreacher not wants to answer the scum befouling my mistress' house."

"I know that, but you have to. I am your owner, you have no choice. Kreacher, have you ever seen a piece of jewellery in this form with the same ornament on top only bigger and heavier?" Harry asked pulling the fake locket out of his pocket.

"Kreacher has see the trinket."

"Do you know where the locket, you know, is?"

It was obvious, that the creature tried its best, not to answer this question. He clapped his hands on his mouth; he fought but had no choice: "Yes, Kreacher knows."

Everyone in the room started breathing again; this was a trace, which brought them nearer to one of the Horcruxes. So Harry asked: "Where is it?"

"Kreacher not wants to tell the blood traitors and scum. No, Kreacher not wants!"

That was a true answer that much was clear. But Harry had learned his part:

"Kreacher, I command you to tell me, where the locket you know is located at the moment"

And again the creature with the snout-like nose fought against the magic which forced it to obey a direct order of its owner. It hedged, it tried not to answer but again the magic resulting from the house-elf's enslavement was stronger so he burst out at last: "In the attic, in the rear closet, in the lowest drawer."

Harry ordered the creature back to Hogwarts and Hermione thanked him. That only resulted in being called "Mudblood!" once again before Kreacher vanished with a pop and Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Remus and Ron started to the attic to look for the locket.

And really, they found the locket exactly where Kreacher had told them. There it had lain with many other items which should have been dumped years ago, when Sirius had still owned them. Harry could not believe that the horrible creature had really been of any use. But he was absolutely sure, that this was exactly the locket he had seen in the memories, Dumbledore had shown him.

Happy that they were so lucky to actually get hold of one of the Horcruxes the five friends returned downstairs and seated themselves in front of the living room fire. Now that they had a Horcrux they needed to find out, how it could be destroyed. Hermione started back to the library to look for a way to destroy it. The others just sat there deep in thought. Harry pondered, if he should owl Prof. Dumbledore, when he realised, that this would not work. The owl would not know where to find the headmaster, because he was dead and the portrait would not be able to open, read and answer the letter. Suddenly he jumped up and ran to the room he had slept in two years ago. In there was the portrait of Phineas Nigellus, Sirius' ancestor, who had probably been Hogwarts' least liked headmaster of all times. But nevertheless he had been a Hogwarts' headmaster and therefore happened to have another portrait in the headmistress' office. Dumbledore had used Phineas to give messages to Sirius, as he was able to visit his other portrait at will.

"Phineas," he said, "please be so kind and visit your other portrait. Speak to Prof. Dumbledore in private and inform him, that I found the original and now I need to know, what I have to do to destroy it."

"Boy", the old Slytherin answered, "I am not your personal messenger. And I really do **not** appreciate to pass such half information around. What original are you talking about?"

"Look, I can't tell you, I'm not allowed. I found it on Dumbledore's orders and I was told not to tell anyone about it. I am just working on the headmaster's orders", the teenage boy told the old portrait, hoping, that mentioning Dumbledore's orders would help persuading Phineas. And as the old Slytherin knew that Dumbledore and Harry were close, he went into his other portrait at last.

When he re-appeared a few minutes later Harry asked impatiently "What did he say?"

Smirking arrogantly Phineas answered: "No patience, today's youth has, no patience… Spoiled brats! Prof. Dumbledore says to destroy this special item it is sufficient, that you hold it in your hand and open it. But you have to do it by yourself, because no-one else would be able to. – What is it, that is so special about you?"

Harry asked this himself as well. Why him? Voldemort had never heard of Harry's existence when he made this Horcrux. He could not divine, that there would once be a Boy-Who-Lived. Why in Godric's name would he put a part of his soul into a container, only Harry would be able to destroy? Destroy by simply holding and opening it… Harry thanked the old Slytherin, left and went back to the living room to inform his friends about Dumbledore's answer.

He sank back into his armchair and back into his thoughts. Argh! He got a headache from all the circling around the locket his thoughts did. From the circling and the attempt to figure out how the brain of the worst dark wizard of all times worked. The lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead ached.

The scar, which symbolised the connection between Harry and Voldemort. The scar, with which Voldemort unknowingly marked Harry as an equal. Which fulfilled the first part of the prophecy. The scar which witnessed, that the dark Lord had already tried to kill him when he was just a small child. The scar, which was proof of his mother's sacrifice. His mother's sacrifice… The ancient magic, the protection of her love… The love, which made it impossible for Voldemort to possess Harry's body.

Merlin's beard, wait! Reminiscence of the occurrence at the Ministry of Magic a year ago, just after Sirius' death, awoke in Harry. This could be the solution. It made sense. What had Dumbledore said: 'It is the power … that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. … That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests.' (2)

"Right!" Harry thought, "Voldemort can not exist inside me. And I bet the part of his soul, which is the Horcrux, will also not be able to exist in my hands once it is freed. That's it! This should be sufficient to destroy the Horcrux. That is what Dumbledore thinks at least. I only hope he is not mistaken with this. The consequences could be fatal."

But first there still was the fact, that he did not have the smallest clue, how to open the locket. His mentor had been unambiguous about that, too. He had to do it himself. Why? Harry thought it to be highly unfair, that fate (or Tom Riddle) had again chosen him to handle all unthinkable difficulties. Why in Godric's name could not someone else be the Chosen-One for a change? Had it really to be him time and time again? He was so tired of it all.

Harry retired early that evening attempting to find rest and peace. Tomorrow was another day to worry about all the injustice in the world, Voldemort and the condemned locket. The blasted locket! There it was again ruling his brains. Goddamned!

He took it in his hand again and examined it more closely. The S-shaped snake remembered him of something, but he could not recall where he had ever seen such ornament. "Had it been in the Slytherin common room, where Ron and I tried to find out, if Malfoy was Slytherin's heir, who threatened the school in second year?" he pondered, "No, I can't remember that there had been an ornamental snake on a metallic item. They had been upon carpets, paintings and hangings, sure, but on metal?" He was also sure he knew no-one wearing a Slytherin trinket.

Harry tried to dig his fingernails into the narrow gap between the locket's top and bottom part to drag it open, but it was useless. They had tried to do so two years ago before they threw the locket away. Useless! That way there was no chance advancing on the matter. He wanted to put away the locket and go to sleep at last, when realisation hit him. Suddenly he knew where he had seen the same ornamental snake on metal. In Moaning Myrtle's toilet. On the tap which opens the entrance to the chamber of secrets.

The Boy-Who-Lived looked at it more closely once again and thought: "Yes, the snake ornaments are totally identical on second view as well. Thinking of it, both were made by Salazar Slytherin himself, so it is not to strange, that they are identical. But, does this mean that they will also function in the same way?" That would explain, why only Harry would be able to open the locket. Only Harry and Tom Riddle himself, naturally. Slytherin's heir, famous for being the only living Parselmouth. Parseltongue, the ability to talk to snakes, was a capability Voldemort had passed to Harry, when he tried to kill him as a baby.

"Open!" the Gryffindor hissed in Parseltongue without thinking, if it would possibly be reasonable not to be alone, while trying to open Voldemort's Horcrux. But it already happened: the locket snapped open and Harry's hand became cold as ice. For a few seconds the iciness crept over his hand into his arm. Then suddenly a burning pain flashed through his forearm. He cried out loud without noticing it and let go of the locket. The pain intensified to a degree Harry had only known from the Cruciatus curse before. He yelled in pain and passed out.

Alarmed by his yelling in the otherwise very quiet old house Remus, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Tonks ran to Harry's room to help him, wands ready. His face contorted with pain was enough evidence that something happened to the black-haired teenager. But what had happened? Hermione, who always had a keen perception and was a very good observer saw the burning marks on Harry's arm and told the others about them. Ginny ran there at once to see, if she could do anything against them, but stopped short, when she saw the open locket on the floor. "Look, he did it! He opened it!" They all gathered around it and Ron bent down and picked it up, before anyone could stop him. The others held their breath and were relieved, when they saw that Ron was not hurt by the Horcrux.

As Tonks came out of her trance she examined his arm and said: "Lucky, Aurors have to learn healing spells. I try and ease the burnings, but I'm not to sure, if I am able to heal them…"

oooooooooo

(1) JKR GoF, p. 562

(2) JKR OotP, p.743


	4. The Hospital Wing

Hi,

here's chapter 4, a rather short one, but I hope, you like it all the same! Please review!

Now, on with the story...

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**4 The Hospital Wing **

The Boy-Who-Lived was slowly gaining consciousness. At first he only felt the soaring pain in his right forearm. Then he began to realise that he heard someone whispering to him.  
"Harry, wake up now, we need to talk. Come on, Harry, now, before someone else comes."

He was not able to identify the voice, he heard. Damned, it had to be someone he knew. He just could not recognize, who it was. The person must have heard him groaning as he started to realise the pain. Still not being totally awake the Gryffindor started to open his emerald eyes. First he only saw white walls and immediately recognised that he was once again in the hospital wing. That was amazing. How did he get there and why was his arm hurting? He realised his arm was heavily bandaged, but why? And then: whom did he hear whispering just a moment ago?

Harry slowly started looking around and suddenly thought he had become unconscious again. What he saw, could not be real. He must have fainted again. He closed his emerald eyes and slowly opened them again. The phantom was still sitting beside his bed. Harry shook his head to become clear. He noticed a pair of shiny silver eyes watching him. Was it really… could it be…

"Malfoy?" he asked with a hoarse voice.

"Thank Merlin, you're awake at last."

"Me? You have been sleeping in here all week. You owe me an explanation but no, you prefer sleeping a whole week instead."

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you and not start fighting again. We have done that for years now and I think it is time to grow up at last and stop that childish behaviour."

Harry was dumbstruck. There was his enemy of six years telling him to stop being childish, to stop fighting. As if Harry had been the one to start the fighting…

"Harry, you could at least have the decency to answer. It is not as if I would ask you to be friends. I'm just trying to be civil, maybe we can come to a truce."

"What the hell has gotten into you Malfoy? Are you under the Imperius?" 'Maybe it is someone using polyjuice potion to look like him…' Harry added in his thoughts.

"I am able to resist the Imperius curse just as well as you are, Harry. So, that is not an option."

"What is it, that you want, Malfoy? Why are you doing this?"

"You have not been there. How could you know? Please let me explain and I have to start at the beginning for you to understand what happened."

And as the Boy-Who-Lived no longer argued, Draco Malfoy began explaining what had happened to him and his mother since his father was imprisoned. How Voldemort had come to him and his mother. How the Dark Lord had given him the order to kill Dumbledore. How he had felt that this was as a revenge for his father's failure. How Narcissa had nearly broken down and Draco had accepted the task only to save his parents' lives. He reminded Harry of the encounter in the bathroom, when all the pressure nearly caused a breakdown on him. Harry nodded; he remembered meeting Malfoy and nearly feeling sorry for the boy, because he seemed so desperate in there.

Malfoy continued with his story. He told how he had stood in front of the headmaster and had not been able or willing to really kill him although they were alone on top of the tower and he had already disarmed Dumbledore.

Harry had not thought about the fact that Malfoy did not know, that the Gryffindor had also been there and had watched everything. The blond thought there had been no witness of that situation. The Boy-Who-Lived was really astounded that Malfoy was telling the whole ugly story and not trying to embellish anything. That made his enemy appear in a new light to Harry. He had never expected Malfoy to be honest to him. But Harry made sure, he did not let show his astonishment or the fact that he did already know that part of the story.

And Malfoy went on how Snape had come up there and killed the headmaster in the end. And how he did not understand, why Dumbledore had not fought Snape but just said,

'Severus … please …' (1)

And how he, Draco, would have been able to save the old wizard, if he would have seen earlier that he would never be able to murder him.

He went on how he fled with Snape and the other Death Eaters and was brought directly to the Dark Lord, where his mother had already been held hostage. And then the punishment; how he had been tortured with the Cruciatus curse for not following Voldemort's order. How he had to watch them torturing his mother. He didn't know for how long the torturing went on as they were in a dark dungeon with no day light coming in.

Then the moment when he awoke from his unconsciousness. He did not know how many times before this had happened, he had lost count between being tortured to unconsciousness and waking up again only for the whole procedure to start anew. But this time was different. It was quiet around and he could only hear some footsteps vanishing in a distance. And then he heard a heavy door opening and in came a small beam of light and suddenly he knew where he was.

They were held prisoners in Malfoy Manor, in their own home. He looked around carefully, but it seemed the Death Eaters had no longer bothered with guards for them, seeing how weak they both were. He managed to gather enough concentration to wandlessly Accio his wand, which he hoped would not be too far from him. And really it came flying from the bigger dungeon room to his right hand side. He grabbed his mother and apparated to Hogwarts where he levitated her and then met Harry.

"So here I am, I awoke only half an hour before you started stirring and groaning. I tried talking to my mother but she seems to still be unconscious. For how long have we been in here? You surely were not serious, when you said, I had been sleeping a whole week?"

"I was bloody serious, Malfoy. But I don't know, how I landed myself in here and for how long I've been unconscious. Maybe we should try calling Madame Pomfrey."

"Maybe we should just do that, but could you previously tell me, if you do believe what I just told you? Can we call a truce?"

"Yes, I do believe you, as unlikely as it seems. For the truce – we can try. However, I'm not sure, it will work out. There have been so many things between us within the last years, how can we be able to overcome them?"

"Thank you for believing me, Harry, it means so much to me. For the things between us, I'd say that we are on the same side now. We have the same enemies to fight. And that changes a lot. You see, I had a lot of time to think, down there, awaking from unconsciousness, waiting to be tortured again and I understood at last that my father was not the strong and powerful man I always thought he was, but only a slave. And he had always been.

I also saw the evil the Dark Lord is capable of. I was brought up believing his way was the right one but now I see things in a different light. Until then I just looked up to my father and followed his views. I apologise for being so blinded and causing so much trouble with it."

Harry was truly amazed that Malfoy apologised to him. He had never thought the spoilt brat would ever do so. But he looked into the silver eyes, which were so much like Sirius' had been, and he accepted the apology and so the two enemies made a truce before they went searching for Madame Pomfrey for some answers.

The nurse was very upset with both young men being out of bed. She put them back at once and denied giving them any information. Instead she gave them a dreamless sleep draught and stood with them until both dozed off.

ooooooooo

When the blonde Slytherin awoke after a dreamless sleep he found the medi-witch fluffing the bed, the raven-haired Gryffindor had been lying in the night before. He sighed. It seemed Potter had left without a word…

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(1) JKR HBP, p. 556 


	5. Wedding at the Weasleys

Hi there, me again!

It's been nearly a month now since I posted the previous chapter and I'm really disappointed, that no-one reviewed this story.

I go on posting though, there are some more chapters ready. Hopefully someone will have mercy sometime and review this.

Chapter five is a rather short one, so I'm posting six as well.

The disclaimer can be found in chapter one.

ooooooooooooooo

**5 Wedding at the Weasleys**

Harry awoke after another dreamless sleep, because the voices of his two best friends drifted over to him. Harry couldn't help but grin. There were the two of them arguing again. This time it was about awakening him or not.

"You can stop that discussion now!" he exclaimed, startling them both, "you already managed to wake me, you know."

The emerald eyes sparkled as he saw their faces.

"Bloody hell, Harry, you shocked us!" Ron exclaimed. "We came over to take you to the Burrow. Mum's completely fussy and overexcited. She fears you wouldn't make it in time for the wedding."

Hermione and Ron waited for Harry to get dressed in his dress robes, Hermione had brought for him. The three of them went to the headmistress' office and Harry sent his best friends ahead through the headmistress' fireplace. He had a short conversation with McGonagall and informed her of the things Malfoy had told him. She again asked him, what he thought of Malfoy's behaviour. He gave her his opinion that Draco seemed to have been totally honest and have truly changed his ways. After their conversation he also flooed to the Burrow, where the wedding of Fleur Delacourt and Bill Weasley was to take place that day. Harry was curious how a wizarding wedding would be. Not, that he had seen many muggle ones to be able to compare…

The burrow's backyard was very nicely and ceremonially decorated with lots of white flowers and green vines. Harry felt as if he had suddenly entered the Elven Realm of Lothlorien from the book Lord of the Rings, which he had recently read. He went through the decorations in a dream-like state and only slowly started to perceive the other guests.

There was the complete Order of the Phoenix, some goblins from Gringotts' Wizarding Bank and a group of French talking people, Harry imagined being Fleur's friends and family. He was astounded to see Neville and Luna with Mrs. Longbottom and a man, he supposed was Mr. Lovegood. The bride was nowhere to be seen and the groom looked really nervous. Bill's scars were still clearly visible but had already faded a lot. The Boy-Who-Lived looked around but couldn't spot Percy anywhere. That git still seemed to avoid his family.

Every one took a seat and the ceremony started. Charlie as Bill's Best Man stood beside his brother when first the two bridesmaids Ginny and Gabrielle walked down the aisle. They were followed by Fleur, who was brought to the altar (could it be called that? It surely had nothing to do with the churchly altar.) by whom Harry supposed was her father. The wedding wizard held a nice bonding ceremony at whose end the bond he had produced with his wand was transfigured into the two identical white golden bracelets, the newlyweds were to wear from now on as a symbol of their bonding.

After the ceremony everyone clinked glasses with Bill and Fleur at the reception. It was a dark red sparkling drink, Harry had never tasted before and he was eager to find out, what it was, because he liked it very much. So he moved through the crowd to stand beside Ginny and asked her about the drink. So he found out, that it was cherry champaign, which was traditional at wizarding weddings, because of the cherry being heart-shaped. Ginny also enlightened him about Neville's and Luna's presence. Bill and Fleur had decided to invite them because of their fight alongside Bill at Hogwarts.

Suddenly Gabrielle and Fleur came running in his direction. Both hugged and kissed him and then dragged him with them to meet their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Delacourt both thanked Harry again for rescuing Gabrielle during the Triwizard Tournament. Mrs. Weasley chose that moment to call everyone to the banquet and Harry was very grateful to be freed from the French family.

The banquet was very festive and lasted for hours. There was every sort of delicacy one could imagine as well as many different sorts of wine and champaign. At last a huge wedding cake, an ice cream bomb and a large variety of other desserts were dished.

After the banquet the newlyweds opened the dance and Harry found himself a quiet corner, where Ron accompanied him at once, both keen to avoid dancing. Poor Neville was not as lucky and had to dance with Hermione, Ginny and Luna in turn. But he didn't seem to mind at all. Neither did the twins who danced with every female present. The goblins had left the feast as soon as the dancing had begun. To Harry it seemed that they weren't keen to have to dance as well. Ron accioed a bottle of cherry champaign and two glasses into their dark corner and the two friends drank together another glass of that tasty liquid.

Suddenly there were apparition cracks and a commotion started, the wards began howling and everyone drew their wands at once. Stunners flew in all directions and Harry and Ron moved quickly under the table to crawl into the direction of the attack. They recognised several hooded and masked figures fighting against the wedding guests. Harry couldn't identify many of them. He saw Remus fighting one Death Eater a little aloof from the rest and suddenly he saw long black hair coming out under the hood of one Death Eater. Bellatrix! Not thinking twice Harry ran over to her and started throwing stunners and hexes in her direction but he didn't seem able to get her. She noticed his attack and dodged all curses. She turned around and Harry tried to stun her again, when she laughed her cackling laugh and yelled "Crucio!", her wand pointing directly at him. A pain, not unknown to him by now, hit his body and he fell to the floor at once. He bit his lips not to cry out aloud.

After what seemed to last for ever the pain ended as abrupt as it had started and Harry sat up. He saw Bellatrix disappear with a crack and with her all Death Eaters, who were not stunned or dead, disapparated as well.

Moody, Shacklebolt and Tonks were the first to gain some survey over the situation. They bound the disarmed and stunned Death Eaters and took off their masks. Some other order members were looking after the injured. It seemed that only two Death Eaters had died and luckily none of the wedding guests. However Mrs. Longbottom, Mr. Delacourt, Luna, Alicia, Fred and Charlie

were seriously hurt and had to be transported to St. Mungo's.

Rabastan Lestrange, Goyle senior and Amycos as well as three Death Eaters, Harry had never seen, were sent to Azkaban. Fenrir Greyback and the brutal-looking Death Eater, who had accompanied Malfoy to Hogwarts and whose name seemed to be Ruffian were killed during the attack. It seemed, Remus had made it a habit to carry a silver dagger with a wooden hilt around, just in case he would come to face Greyback. And he had thrown it mercilessly to finish the werewolf off, who had infected him with his lycanthropie.

"He will never again infect children on purpose," was his only comment.


	6. Godric’s Hollow

This is the sixth chapter, please be so kind and review.

The disclaimer can be found in chapter one.

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**6 Godric's Hollow**

Two days after the wedding Harry and Remus started towards Godric's Hollow early in the morning. They had decided to do this without anyone else, because they both thought of it as very personal. The raven-haired Gryffindor and the last of the marauders were dreading what they would find at the place were James and Lily Potter had lived and met their fate.

They took the knight bus to the nearest village and walked the last two miles from there. As they neared the place, they both saw, why it was called a hollow. The grassland around lowered into a dip, which could not be looked into from a distance. In the hollow near the middle just one building was set between sporadical bushes and old trees.

As they neared the building they could see the caved in roof and burn marks at several places but the house seemed not to be totally razed. What astounded them was that no moss, ivy or other plants had covered parts of the ruin. 'The house had been deserted and in that state for almost sixteen years and was not covered in plants? How did that happen?' Harry pondered when Remus said: "Must be Dumbledore's doing. He must have sealed it with a preservation charm. I bet it looks just as it did that night…" Here he broke off with a bitter look on his face.

After some moments of just gazing at the remains the Boy-Who-Lived looked in to the abject amber eyes of his companion and started down into the dip again towards his parents' house. When he reached the front door, he saw that there were parts from the collapsed roof blocking it.

Remus had come out of his stupor and levitated the debris aside. Slowly Harry grabbed the door handle and took a deep breath before pushing it down to open the door. He was dump struck as the door wouldn't move. What did that mean? He turned to the last of the marauders and asked "Dumbledore again?" "I suppose so." Remus did some quick spells and there appeared two green circles in the middle of the old door. "Thought so…", he said. "What does that mean? What are we supposed to do now?", Harry asked. "Just try and press your hands on there", Remus answered. The boy acted as he was told and as he touched the marks on the door, both could here a clicking noise, that certainly was the sound of the door lock unlocking.

Slowly Harry grabbed the door handle again and took a deep breath, locking eyes with his companion, before pushing down the handle to finally open the door. And open it did. Holding his breath, the Boy-Who-Lived hesitantly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

ooooooo

Inside the house there was more debris lying around but other than that and the missing parts of the roof there was no sign that it had not been inhabited for so long. That was a strange sight… Everything seemed as if the owners had just left, there was no dust, no insects, spiders or other signs one would expect within a hulk of a building which had been abandoned for so many years.

"Where do you want to start, Harry?" Remus asked, "down here are the kitchen, living room and sitting room, above were the bedrooms and bathroom. And there must be a cellar door somewhere behind the debris. I do not exactly remember where it was, but it must have been here in the hall."

"I think I want to go up there. It was my room, where he murdered her, right?" Remus only nodded. The Boy-Who-Lived started towards the stairs as Remus followed him. Harry turned round to face the werewolf. "Let me go up there alone, please, I think, I need that." Remus nodded again. "You could start to clear the hall here up, if you don't mind. Maybe you can find the cellar door." Amber eyes met emerald ones as Remus nodded for the third time.

ooooooo

For a long time Harry just stood in the door frame of his room in his parents' house. He stared into the room, where he lost everything, where his mother had died and Voldemort had vanished. He took in every detail: his cot, his soft toys, the little white rabbits on the light blue wallpaper, the musical doll above his cot. Suddenly Harry entered the room and strode over to the crib. In front of it he kneeled down facing the room and slowly turned around, trying to find the point of view to match his memory of the night his parents died.

And there it was. He could remember exactly where his mother and Voldemort had been standing. He saw the whole scene once again but now it seemed more detailed. Maybe the surroundings had triggered the enhanced memory. He saw a shadow in the hall, which did not belong to his mother or Voldemort. 'So there had been someone else in here!' A cloaked figure. The shadow disappeared and then he saw a fat rat peering around the doorframe. He should have known that! The rat was there to watch the disaster he brought over his so-called friends.

Harry sat there for a while after the memory ended, then abruptly stood, grabbed one of his stuffed animals, a lion made of red and gold velvet, and hurriedly left the room. He quickly looked into the other rooms on that floor and then descended to meet Remus in the hall, who had managed to get all the debris out of the house and really found the spoken of cellar door. Together they searched through the rooms on the ground floor, took some photographs and personal belongings and then decided it was time for lunch.

They settled down under a tree in the garden as both were glad of the chance to leave the house that held these bad memories. They ate some of the sandwiches they had brought with them. It was a quiet meal for which both were thankful. Harry had to remind himself that not only he had lost his family but Remus had as well, because the marauders could be counted as family.

When they had finished eating, Remus pointed at the stuffed Gryffindor lion. "That was James' present for your first birthday, you know? He thought it important for you to become accustomed to Gryffindor as early as possible", he said with a small smile. "It is enchanted, I believe, have you tried gripping its mane?" Harry shook his head and gripped into the lion's mane. The lion gave a loud roar and then shouted "Gryffindors rule!" "Your mum nearly got a heart attack the first time it did that", Remus laughed. "James, Sirius and I rolled on the floor laughing and we were very lucky she didn't hex us… Actually we had to thank you for that, because you had so much fun about it, that you let it roar again and so distracted her wrath from us."

ooooooo

After that the mood was a little lighter and they decided to go back into the house and search the cellar. In the morning they had not thought they could get ready with searching the whole house in one day, but now as they scented the chance to finish the same day they wanted to seize it.

Behind the cellar door a steep spiral staircase wound down into a spacious room with a low, arched ceiling. There were shelves on two walls and boxes stapled on the other two. The shelves were mainly packed with supplies, but there were also some rolls of parchment and a small wooden ornamented chest on one shelf. This chest drew the attention of both of them momentarily. Remus shook his head: "I can't remember this chest. I think, I've never seen it before."

Not being the most patient person, Harry quickly approached the chest and took it out of the shelf. The werewolf started: "Harry, let me at least check for hexes and protective spells!" "Sorry, Remus, I forgot…" While Remus scanned the chest, Harry started looking through the parchments and decided to just pocket them for later examination, when his eyes fell onto a very ancient looking roll.

The green-eyed Gryffindor unrolled the parchment only to find it blank. He stared on it disbelievingly. Why would his parents store such an old yellowed piece of parchment, when there weren't some very important things on it? He couldn't figure that out at the moment… Remus began to mutter incantations, pointing his wand successively to the three locks on the chest and Harry just pocketed the parchments and watched. When the older Gryffindor had finished, there were clicking sounds and the lid sprang open to reveal a silver dagger, even Remus had not seen before.

The unseen silver dagger held rubies along its ornate hilt. It reminded Harry of something he had seen before, he just couldn't place it. Harry took the dagger off the dark red suede inlay and examined it closely, trying to recall, where he had seen similar ornaments. And then it hit him. This unseen silver dagger had the same adornments as the sword of Godric Gryffindor. The sword, he himself had used to kill the basilisk lingering in the chamber of secrets in his second year. The sword, which was kept in Dumbledore's, no, it was McGonagall's office now.

Did that mean…? "Remus, do these ornaments remember you of something? Have you ever seen similar adornments anywhere?" "Remus stepped forward to take a closer look. He let his amber eyes wander over the ornaments and then looked up to Harry again, smiling. "I think, you're right, it looks exactly like Gryffindor's sword in the headmistress' office. Maybe it isn't only coincidence that this place is called Godric's Hollow…" "But… why didn't they show you? Why don't you already know it?" "I don't know, Harry, I really don't know. I can only think of one explanation. You know, that your grandparents, the Potters, were killed by Voldemort only a few weeks before he murdered your parents? He was after all old powerful families at that time, searching for followers and supporters. Maybe James inherited this dagger along with this house and the rest."

"But didn't we already live here, when I was born?" "Yes, your parents moved in here after their marriage, but the house still belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Potter, your grandparents." "That still does not elucidate, why they didn't show it to you." "No, it doesn't. But you see, in that time, no-one trusted the other. Do you remember when we met Sirius three years ago? Until that night we both had thought, the other had been Voldemort's spy." Harry remembered…

Flashback:

'_Remus!' Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. 'You don't believe this … Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?'_

'_Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter,' said Lupin. 'I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?' he said casually over Pettigrew's head._

'_Forgive me, Remus,' said Black._

'_Not at all, Padfoot, old friend,' said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. 'And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing _you_ were the spy?' _(1)

End Flashback.

"You see, Sirius had thought it had been me and I would say that James most likely shared his opinion. So it is no wonder they would not trust me with something as valuable and important as this dagger." Harry nodded. "Did you find anything interesting in those parchments?" the werewolf asked. "Not really," the Boy-Who-Lived answered, "we can examine them later, when we're back at the grim, old place." "Agreed," Remus answered and they both began looking through the remaining stuff in the cellar.

ooooooo

Back at Grimmauld Place Harry and Remus found Hermione and Tonks and they all settled into armchairs in front of the living room fire. They were drinking from hot steaming mugs of butterbeer and Hermione told them, that Luna, Fred and Mr. Delacourt had already left St. Mungo's, while Mrs. Longbottom, Charlie and Alicia had to remain there a few more days. Neville stayed at the Weasley's, while his Grandma was still at the hospital.

Everyone was hanging on his own thoughts, when Harry remembered the ancient parchment, he had pocketed in Godric's Hollow. He searched through his bag, accidentally letting the stuffed lion roar, which caused the girls a real shock and the males some giggling, until he found the parchment and showed it to the last of the marauders.

"Remus, you don't think my parents would keep such an old yellow parchment, if it wouldn't have some secrets, do you?"

"I wouldn't think so. It is yellowed to such an extent, that it can't be used for anything. There has to be something hidden on it. It reminds me of the Marauders' Map…"

He tapped the parchment with his wand to see if a reaction could be evoked.

And true, there appeared artfully written in ancient letters the words:

"Who arest thou and why wouldst thou disturb?"

The four looked at each other. None knew what to answer. So they tried different combinations like 'I am Godric Gryffindor and I want to rule the world', 'I am the pope and I have to rid the world from evil' and many more in the same line, Harry even hissed at the parchment in Parseltongue (I am Salazar Slytherin and I want to read you). After a while it showed, that Tonks' idea 'I am a true Gryffindor and I hate all Slytherins. And Harry's 'I am Albus Dumbledore and I need your help' were the only attempts which didn't end in the parchment being empty. At least the question from before didn't disappear but flashed once and remained there.

Hermione being the smartest witch of her age was the quickest and combined the two to 'I am a true Gryffindor and I need your help' (the other way round would truly be a little stupid, wouldn't it?) and suddenly ink spread all over the parchment, forming runes on the way. Harry looked a little disappointed, because he couldn't read the runes, as did Tonks. Remus and Hermione on the other hand were at it at once. They started translating the runes, while Harry and Tonks went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

When dinner was ready, Tonks had a hard time, luring Remus and Hermione away from the parchment. At last they swiftly had a snack and then returned to their runes. Tonks and Harry joined them with a fresh steaming butterbeer after cleaning the kitchen, just in time to see the very proud and satisfied faces of their friends. After everyone had settled, Remus read the completed translation to them:

"The house, Godric was born in, stands beside a hollow within a hollow.

You find the hollow only one day in the North of Stonehenge.

Within the hollow there is only this one house and in the very centre there is the hollow, where we set his memorial stone.

It is for him to rest near the place where he grew up, as we had no body to bury.

Nevertheless we did him all honours and protected the area against intruders, so that he shall not be disturbed."

"Does that mean that it is called 'Godric's Hollow' for a reason?" Tonks asked.

"That is exactly, what I would gather from it, even the distance to Stonehenge seems to fit from what you told me from your journey", Hermione answered.

"But what is the hollow within the hollow?" Harry asked, "The house is in the dip, and it is not in the centre, but there was nothing else besides trees. No more hollows…"

"It could mean a kind of cave, you know," Hermione threw in.

"There was nothing to be seen, but it says here, that they protected it." Remus said. "If they used repelling and concealment charms, no-one who doesn't know what he is looking for, would accidentally find such a cave."

"It seems that we have to go there again tomorrow," Harry mused, "I can't believe we were near Gryffindor's memorial stone and didn't know it."

"But we will apparate this time. Now that we know the surroundings it is easier."

ooooooo

While Tonks had to work the next day and Hermione started researching in the library again, Harry and Remus apparated to Godric's Hollow. Harry could have apparated himself but as he still was not of age and hadn't done his test, he grabbed Remus arm for the sidelong apparition.

They landed in front of the house and started looking for the "hollow within the hollow". Again they were unable to recognise anything, but Remus pulled out his wand and started to search for magical concealment.

Remus had been on it for more than half an hour, figuring out which kinds of enchantments he had to remove before he was able to lift a part of them. Suddenly the Boy-Who-Lived could see a kind of flickering in the air some yards before him. "Moony, look, it works", he exclaimed.

But it seemed that had only been a small part of the protections and the werewolf asked for help some time later. Harry argued that he didn't know, how to find and dispel the charms, but Remus told him to just concentrate on the task ahead and use his magic to feel and find them. Then, if he was able to grasp one enchantment with his mind, he could end it with "finite incantatum".

Soon both Gryffindors stood with closed eyes, concentration written on their faces, trying to find and eliminate more spells. Harry found it easier to concentrate on his magic this time than he had ever felt before, either in divination (his inner eye was always clouded…) or in his occlumency lessons with Prof. Snape.

They felt, that they were able to join their magic in the effort, and that recognition really helped. Shortly after, they could grasp one charm, that Harry then held in his grasp, while Remus could remove it. They continued with this form of teamwork, alternately grasping and dispelling the enchantments.

When they found no more magic in the area ahead, they opened their eyes and were amazed, that the sun had reached zenith and obviously a lot of time had passed. But it seemed they had been successful. A few yards in front of them the entrance to a small cave had appeared. And it was in fact in the exact centre of the hollow. So the two Gryffindors stepped forward and approached the entrance. Before entering they concentrated again to make sure no magical traps had been built in there. It appeared to be clear. So they took a deep breath and entered the 'hollow within the hollow', both whispering "Lumos!" to illuminate their wand tips.

They entered a room, which was larger than one would have presumed by the narrow and low entrance. The walls of the cave were at least fifteen yards each and their surface seemed to be absolutely smooth. The ceiling was more than six yards above them. At the opposite wall they saw a huge stone. Harry lost no more time and approached it. First he recognised the Hogwarts Crest on it, then, as he came nearer he saw that there also was the Gryffindor coat of arms. The inscription on the stone read:

"May our friend Godric never be forgotten.

He was the greatest wizard and best friend.

May his soul rest, even if his body is lost.

He has now gone back home.

His brave deeds and the school he founded

will always remind of him.

Rest in Peace,

Godric Gryffindor,

our beloved friend!"

Below that were the names Helga Hufflepuff and Rowenna Ravenclaw with the according crests.

"So, we really found it…" Remus said. "Yes", Harry answered, "but now we don't know, if Voldemort also did. We only know he tried to find heirlooms of the founders. And this could be counted as one and it was so well-protected…"

"We might not be able to ascertain, if he found this place, but we should be able to find out, if he did something to the stone. Let us concentrate again and try to find out, if there is magic in it. But, Harry, be careful with that one. We don't know what he could have done here."

So they concentrated again and soon found a concealment charm at the bottom of the stone, which they carefully lifted. After it was gone, there was Slytherin's coat of arms at the place where it had been. Remus pointed out, that there also seemed to be a secret compartment behind that. He could see the fine lines, where the opening was. Harry bent low and took a closer look. Remus was right. There was an opening. The Boy-Who-Lived straightened again and asked: "Shall I try?" "Try what?" Remus answered.

"Opening it." Harry said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. After seeing the disbelieving look on the werewolf's face he added: "With Parsel, you know, like the locket. Voldemort does use Parseltongue all the time to secure things. He thought it was the safest way. Oh well, he was right then. But now, that he made me a Parselmouth as well..."

"About that he obviously either doesn't know or doesn't care. He is so overconfident. So, sure, go on, try it, but please get a few steps away first." Remus stepped away as well and pointed his wand at the opening, just in case, before Harry hissed "Open up!"

The cover of the hidden compartment vanished immediately and they stepped closer again to take a look inside. There lay a kind of badge, which appeared to be made of onyx. It was round about three inches in diameter and half an inch high. The front was in the shape of the Dark Mark.

Harry was relieved, that they had found another Horcrux but also uneasy, as he didn't know how to destroy it. Would it be sufficient to use a blasting curse on it? He was not so eager to touch that thing; therefore taking it to Dumbledore to ask was out of the question. And he didn't think, letting it there until he had questioned the headmaster's portrait was a good idea either.

Remus used the Mobiliarbus-charm to levitate it out of the compartment and out of the cave as well. Harry followed him out after hissing "Close again!" at the memorial stone, which made the cover with Slytherin's crest re-appear.

Outside, the werewolf walked some yards away from the cave and the house and let the onyx sink to the ground. They thought and deliberated a while, what was to do. Both wanted to destroy the whole thing and not try to save the onyx. After some persuasion Harry agreed to step back behind the house, while Remus would try a simple blasting curse. Harry would be able to gather help, if something went wrong and the last of the marauders would be injured. There was no use in both of them getting hurt.

So Harry used the house of his parents in Godric's Hollow to hide and thought of that strange co-incidence. It wasn't for long though. Soon Remus called him and the Boy-Who-Lived approached the werewolf with his fingers crossed.

And they had been lucky. The blasting curse had made a good job. The onyx was totally destroyed and so must be the Horcrux as well. Remus said there had not been any kind of shadow leaking out of it.

After putting simple muggle-repelling and concealment charms on the cave, the two Gryffindors left Godric's Hollow, apparating back to Grimmauld Place.

ooooooo

(1) JKR PoA, p. 273


	7. Dead?

Hi there!

I'm back with chapter 7.

Thanks to inupup92 for reviewing. I really appreciate your review. I wouldn't have thought of it that way. ;-)

So here's your update.

For the disclaimer look into chapter 1.

ooooooo

**7 Dead?**

One evening, a few days later, Harry and Hermione were sitting together in front of the fire, while Tonks and Remus were spending some time alone. Harry told Hermione about the encounters he had had with Malfoy and the truce they had made. Hermione was suddenly very excited and grabbed Harry's arm pulled him out of his armchair and dragged him out of the room and into the library. The emerald-eyed boy was at a loss for words and just stared at his best friend, waiting for an explanation of her strange behaviour.

"Harry, you mean, that Draco Malfoy is on our side now? We can trust him?" she asked.

"I don't know how far he can be trusted but he really seems to have changed. But please, don't tell Ron. He will get overexcited about it."

"I know that. I'm not stupid, you know!"

"But why are YOU that excited about Malfoy?"

"Oh Harry, I can't tell."

"What in Merlin's name do you mean, you can't tell?

"Look, I just can't. Not now." With that she began filing through the books in the library once again and Harry sighed and then left the room, being a bit disappointed, that he spilled his secrets, while she didn't.

ooooooooo

The next afternoon Hermione disappeared for a few hours and came back all excited again. But still she didn't tell Harry what about. Instead she grabbed Tonks and Remus and the three of them vanished to the library.

"Great!" Harry thought, "Just great, what in Merlin's name is so exciting? And why can she share it with Tonks and Remus but not with her best friend? And where was she all day?"

Moping he went into his room and slammed the door shut. He talked to Fawkes and Hedwig for a while and went to sleep early.

ooooooooo

The next morning he went downstairs and entered the kitchen. He started preparing breakfast as the others were still asleep. When he had finished everything and set the table, he called into the hall, that breakfast was ready. A few minutes later Hermione appeared in the door frame. She was still all excited and Harry was about to tell her off for it as she pushed him into a seat without a word.

He started to protest when the kitchen door opened again and the Chosen-One couldn't believe what he saw. That was just not possible. No way. He blinked and then shook his head but the image was still there. Standing in the door frame was his dead godfather.

"What… how… Sirius?" he stammered. Sirius hurried over to his godson and hugged him tightly. "Believe it," He simply said, "and thank Mione. She figured out, how to free me."

"But… how? I was told you died that night in the ministry. I saw you fall."

"You're right, I fell. I was stupefied, not dead. I entered the nothingness behind the veil but different from the others I still had a living body. I'm afraid if it wasn't for Mione here I would have been in the nothingness for eternity."

He smiled at his godson's best friend, who returned the smile slightly blushing and then began to tell what happened:

"See, Harry, Professor Dumbledore told me, that Sirius is not dead. As he himself had died, he could detect, that Sirius was not really dead. And he asked me to research a way to bring him back. And as you know, research I did. I found a vague possibility, which did not seem passable for us though, as it required three relatives to retrieve a person out of the nothingness."

"Then you found another way?" Harry asked.

"No, I didn't. _You_ found another _relative_, Harry. You found the third Black descendant we needed to get Sirius back."

"I did?" Harry looked bewildered from Hermione to Sirius. And as he saw the silver eyes of his godfather it became clear to him. "Malfoy? He helped? Voluntarily?"

"He did," Sirius said, "I couldn't believe it as well, when I came out of the veil. He was lucky I didn't hex him at once."

"We just managed to stop him," Remus told as he entered the kitchen, "so, what about breakfast then? We can tell you the whole story, while we're eating."

"Moony, you're right I haven't eaten for more than a year now." Sirius smiled at his old friend.

While they sat at the large table and ate, Hermione told the whole story, how Dumbledore had told her about Sirius not being dead and asked her not to tell anyone, how she had researched and was all disappointed, because the only way she found was not passable until Harry told her about Draco changing sides. How she had looked up what else was needed, how she had gone to Hogwarts and talked to Prof. Dumbledore's portrait again and to Draco afterwards. How she had purchased the necessary items in Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley in Hagrid's company. How she had let Remus and Tonks in on the plan, because Tonks and her mother were Black descendants and Remus was the oldest friend who was required for the ceremony as well. How she had not believed, to be the fifth person required, the so-called pure one.

"That was the point where our genius here had nearly failed. Not only Prof. Dumbledore but also Tonks and I had a lot of persuasion to do until she was ready to believe it," Remus interrupted teasingly.

"I just couldn't believe to play such a role," she answered back, blushing again, and resumed to the story. She told how they had flooed to contact Andromeda. How they had entered the Department of Mystery in the ministry the same way as they had done that night a year ago, when they had first set out to rescue Sirius. How they drew a pentagram in front of the veil and placed the magical items she had purchased at the right places and then positioned themselves at the five vertexes. How they had said the incantations, one each and then five more together. How every one of them had to cut their own fingers and give a drop of blood to the vertex, they were standing on while saying their incantation. How they had held their breaths afterwards until Sirius was pushed out of the veil.

"And we had to be rather quick to stop him from hexing Malfoy as soon as he was out," Remus chipped in. "His reflexes surely didn't decrease behind the veil. You look absolutely healthy altogether, Padfoot, better than I have seen you in a long time."

'That's true,' Harry thought, but did not say it aloud, 'it seems that all the untimely aging caused by his years in Azkaban has vanished. Sirius looks so much younger now than I ever saw him.'

"I feel as if I was on a long holiday," Sirius confirmed.

"You know, what's best?" Harry asked, "Did anyone tell you? You are free! Your name is cleared."

"Really? Are you serious?" his godfather asked.

"No, you are Sirius, not me" Harry couldn't resist to resort to that old joke, "but I'm in dead earnest. They saw Wormtail that night at the ministry. So Fudge had no chance to do otherwise. We only need to undo the heritage."

"Oh, that… it should have been reversed automatically with my re-appearance. But I'm not sure, how we can verify this."

"This is easy," Harry said smiling, "just call Kreacher. I ordered that dreaded creature to work at Hogwarts to have him out of the house. If you got back everything, I had inherited; he will have to obey your call."

So the house-elf was once again used to clear the ownership of the Black property. The elf was not happy to see Sirius back as his master, not happy at all. But as he was sent back to Hogwarts as soon as his task was done, they had not to listen to his squeals for too long.

So the marauder had been right. As he was no longer 'dead', his last will was no longer working and everything had gone back to his possession.

ooooooooo

Besides all the research they did and the lots of training for Harry and Hermione they had a lot of catching up to do. Sirius had missed one whole year after all. When he discovered the relationship between Tonks and Remus he was totally thrilled. His cousin and his best friend! So Remus would eventually be real family one day. He wished them all the best and couldn't help making fun of Moony, who had been anxious about his reaction. It had taken him so long to accept this relationship himself because of the age difference, that he had been afraid, his friend would think along the same lines. Maybe he thought the werewolf was not good enough for his cousin?

Remus was really relieved, that Sirius was okay with them.

Sirius on the other hand was ardent, that Harry was now living at Grimmauld Place as well as Remus, and that Hermione and Tonks were with them most of the time. He was glad about having his godson and best friend with him. He had been alone for so long, first in Azkaban, then during his flight with Buckbeak, then in this empty house and at last behind the veil, so now he could not have enough company around himself.

But to Harry it seemed, this was not the only reason, that Sirius was happy to have them all around. Sure, he enjoyed spending time with his old friend, his godson and his cousin, but most of all he seemed to savour researching in the library with Hermione. And that was a little strange in itself. Sirius, the restless Marauder, sitting in the library with Hermione, the bookworm, for hours on end. Remus and Harry often joined them but always felt a little out of place in there with them. Not that it was that obvious, nor did they openly show, but Sirius and Hermione seemed to understand each other without words. So Harry decided to ask Remus, if he had made the same observation.

"Remus", he asked, "don't you think it is a bit odd, that Sirius is spending sooo much time in the library? I can't help but feel a bit weird, when I'm in there with them. What do you think?"

The werewolf smiled and answered: "I know, what you mean, Harry, and I think, you're right. I'm not sure, they have noticed it themselves, but I would say, that they most certainly found a liking for each other."

"Yes, that's what I thought," Harry said. "Oh, how I wish, that they notice it soon. He has been alone for too long and Hermione could do with someone to help her loosen up a little."

"Maybe Padfoot knows already," Remus said, "he made a little too much fun of my problem about age differences, you know. It was more than one would expect even of him. So it seems, there was more to it than just the difference between Tonks and me…"

"You're right," Harry interrupted, "he overacted that part way too much. And now, that I think about it, Hermione normally does not blush, but she did, when Sirius smiled at her…"

"Yes, and not only once, she blushed a lot, within the last few days," the werewolf added.

"Too true! I'm so happy for them!" Harry exclaimed delightedly. His godfather and his best friend! And there he had always been thinking that Ron and Hermione would end up together. In the light of the recent events that thought seemed really stupid to him. In the end they were best friends all three of them and that was no basis for romantic involvement in any way.

ooooooooo

After another order meeting, Prof. McGonagall took Sirius aside and spoke to him in private. When they joined the group at the living room fire, Sirius looked very serious and deep in thought. They bade the headmistress good-bye and she flooed back to her office, while Sirius sat down with them. He stared into the flames for some time then sighed and looked around into the faces of his best friend, cousin, god-son and crush. His eyes lingered a little longer on Hermione than they did with the others, who secretly smiled. He straightened up and looked at the Boy-Who-Lived: "Harry, McGonagall just told me the whole story of what happened to Narcissa and Draco. And she said, the boy can't stay at Hogwarts any longer. Narcissa is still in a kind of coma and he can't go home to Malfoy Manor, as it is very likely, that Voldemort or at least his Death Eaters are still there. To make it short: he has nowhere to go, where he would be safe, so she asked, if we could take him in here at Grimmauld Place… And I said he could come. I hope you're ok with that. But I felt, I owe him that much. After all, he had no need to help bringing me back…."

Harry felt, he needed to interrupt his godfather: "It's okay, Sirius, he was very civil towards me and we actually called a truce. Now he can show, if he meant it. For security's sake it might be wise, not to tell him the address, but blindfold him and lead him in. Just to be sure…"

Hermione, being her typical self, couldn't help but throw herself at Harry, hugging him and congratulating for 'acting so grown-up'. Remus and Tonks sniggered about her motherly behaviour, while Sirius obviously couldn't really classify it and seemed a bit unsure. What if they were more than just best friends?

Harry winked at him over Hermione's shoulder and smiled. "Hermione," he said, "I couldn't wish for a better surrogate mother than I have in you." At that comment Sirius blushed as well as Hermione. And though Harry hadn't purposely implied, that she should marry his godfather, it seemed that both had understood it that way. Remus and Harry saw the joint blush and burst out laughing. Remus couldn't help to make fun of his best friend and saw it fit to say: "Why, Padfoot, haven't you asked her yet?"

That only made them both blush more. Sirius opened his mouth to answer, but didn't find a remark and so closed it again. Tonks now seemed to have caught up with the situation and found it a good idea to 'leave the love birds alone and prepare dinner'. Harry and Remus immediately followed her to the kitchen, still laughing.

Sirius joined them in the kitchen after a while and asked Harry, if he had plans for the following day. As Harry denied that, Sirius suggested, that they should go shopping. He would buy Harry new clothes as it was high time to throw away Dudley's old outworn ones. Sirius joked, that he would have spent all of the inheritance in new clothing, if he would have had to wear such things. And as Harry did not do so, he saw it as his godfather duty, to finally get the teenager into fitting attire.

With this dialogue he avoided discussing Hermione and himself further. And they all ate a quiet dinner, when she joined them a little later.

ooooooooo

The next morning they went to Gringott's by floo to get some money (wizard and muggle) out of Sirius' vault. They left Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron and went shopping in muggle London. Harry had never been into any boutique, except Madam Maulkin's, and did not really know, where to start. Luckily his godfather was with him and methodically Harry was provided with stacks of underwear, shirts, jeans, other trousers and so on. They even bought shoes for every occasion they could think of. Whenever they left a shop, Sirius secretly shrank everything, so that it fitted into one bag.

When they couldn't think of anything else to buy, they apparated to Hogsmeade, and had Lunch at the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta was shocked at the sight of Sirius at first, but believed him at once, when he told her, that not he but Wormtail was the traitor. After all she had always disliked the sneaky boy, when he was still at school with them. And as she had said four years ago: "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought …"(1)

After Lunch they did some more shopping, because Harry also needed new robes, a cloak, quills… At last they walked to the Shrieking Shack and took the secret passage to Hogwarts. They went to McGonagall's office and Harry took the floo from there, while Sirius picked Draco up. The headmistress had a house elf pack Draco's belongings and bring them from the dungeons to the main gate. Sirius shrank them as well and blindfolded Draco. Then he apparate sidelong with Draco in front of his house and entered through the front door.

ooooooooo

Draco tried to fit himself into the daily routine at Grimmauld Place. And although he couldn't take part in the research, because it didn't seem wise to tell him of the Horcruxes, he participated in the different trainings Harry and Hermione had every day. They learned curses, hexes and defences from different order members as well as other spells and potions which could be used in a fight.

Over the weeks they achieved auror level on many parts of their training. Harry still had more problems with wandless magic than Mione and Draco, while he was quicker with hexes than they were. The Slytherin's knowledge of potions in addition to Snape's old book and some other books they found in the library were a real help for Harry to understand 'the subtle science and exact art of potion-making'(2) at last.

The hours Mione and Sirius spent researching in the library, Harry and Draco used to either get to know each other better or else train Draco in the things, Harry had taught the DA before.

Only occlumency still was a real problem for the Gryffindor. Though he had resumed to his training with Kingsley Shacklebolt and it wasn't nearly as horrible as it had been with Snape, it still just wouldn't 'click'.

ooooooooo

(1) JKR GoF, p. 151

(2) JKR PS, p. 102


End file.
